Automatic train pipe connecter



I l! i M 31 1927' J. v. ROBINSON 630 582 AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER original Filed Dac. 5. 1919 2 Sheets-Shut l Figi.

M 31'192'7' J. v. RoalNsoN '582 AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER original Filed ned. s. 1919 2 Smm-snm 2 Patented May 3l, 1927.

OFFICE.r

JOSEPH V. ROBINSON, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER.

vApplication filed December 5, 1919, Serial No. 342,806. ReneWedAugnst 16, 1926.

lily invention relates to automatic trainpipe connecters for railway cars and has among its objects to provide an improved support for such connecters in which the wear on the Car coupler knuckle, and upon parts of the connecter, may be compensated. tor by adj tasting; the iase ot the connecter bracket longitudinally of thecar coupler, and thus maintain a substantially constant degree ot compression upon the supportingspring'. A 'further object ot my invention is to provide an improved means for propcrlv positioning the braciet on the lugn ot the car coupler and for preventing` back lasliot the bracket with respect to the lun'. A stillturther object ot mv invention is to provide an improved means tor renewino defective c'aslrets between the faces otmated coupling heads whilc'the cars remain coupled, while yet another object of my invention is to'provide an improved universal joint for permitting free universal movement of the coupling head of the connecter.` Considerable dilliculty has always been experienced in maintainingthe supporting bracket ot train pipe connecters in proper relation to the lug on the car coupler, and maintaining the proper springcompression on the coupling heads to insure a tight joint between the heads. In service, certain repairs and replacements must occasionally be made, and with the designs of supports heretofore employed it has been `found diiiicult to make these without the use of an objectionable number ot tools and men. lith the nso ot but one tool one man can completely disassemble andassemble a pair oit connecters having my improved supports without disconnecting the cars., the various moving parts being so designed and arranged that they may be readily removed while the cars remain coupled. In this fashion defective gaskets may be extracted from and new ones replaced between the faces ofcoupled connecter heads withouty rst uncoupling the ears. y

Other novel 'Features of my improvement will appear Jfrom the following` specification and the drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view oi my improved support showing some ot the parts in section. i

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional pla A 'View thereof showing some of the parte in sect 4n proved support taken on the line 3 3 of Figure '1, and

Figure l is a detail plan view of the bracket A only, taken on the lline ll-ll of Figure 3.

Referring' now to the drawings: My improvement includes a bracket A comprising a member 5 and a base G, the member being suitably secured to alug 7 `of the coupler 8, as by means of bolts 9. Themember 5 is split vertically` as at l() to provide ears which facilitate clamping the same to the lug 7, and it carries at its lower end a hollow or perforated boss 11 extending axially of the car coupler. Below the lower 'face of the lug the member 5 is provided with a seat or wav 12 to receive a wedge `13. The forwardiend of the way 12 is curved upwardly as at 14 to deflect the course of the wedge and cause the forward end thereof to follow around the corner V15 ot the lug; as the wedge is driven to the service position, and thus lock the `wedge against accidental removal from suchy position. It willbe observed that the wedge and the seat 12 are tapered so that as the wedge is drivenrhome it produces a clamping; action upon the bolts 9 and thus securely locks the member 5 to the lug 7 and prevents all back lash between the lug and the member7 thus insuring' correct positioning ot the parts. `With this construction. proper relation between the lug and the member is assured at all times. Should service develop movement between the lug and theV member 5 it may be immediately eliminated by driving` the wedge forward which operation will draw the parts into firm engagement again. I

The lower corners 16 of the member 5 torni seat adapted tomate with a complementary seat 17 on the base 6 of my improvement. The base comprises .a vertically extending forli? the upper end of which termina-tes in a cylindrical portion 18 which, like the corners 16, is disposed in the horizontal plane and extends axiallyv of the coupler and through' the opening in the boss 'll oil the member 5 as shown. A nut 19 secures the base in the boss 11, and'constitutes means Por adjusting` the base longitudinally oit the car and relatively to the member 5. Between the prongs 2O which form the fork of the basev 6 I mount pfe or hollow body member B having* a s forward end a laterally diverginf field nit 21@ and at its'.

lill) 2t) ot the hase (i. Vlt will be observed that these bearings extend rearwardly of the prongs and lit within openings QT at the sides ot the flange `2:2, which construction, and the Cooperation of the straps 23. and the tie rod and pivot har Qi and Q5 respectively,

`ellieienilv prevent undue rotation ot the couplingg head of the connecter about its longitudinal axisand insures proper positioning of the coupling head and the body B With respect tothe base 17. The tie rod has an elongated perforated head Q8, having a forivardinner 'tace 29 which is flared in the horizontal plane and vl'hieh rests in a complementarjT seat 30 formed at the Center oi the pivot har 25. The tie rod extends from :out ot' thehollorv of the bodf,T B,.tbrongh the openingin the flange 22, and to the rear thereofiand 1s provided with an elongated eylindrieal portion 31, threaded to receive the abutment or nut 32, as shown. Upon `the rear "side ot the flange I'provide anA annular seatBBupon which I mount a. suitable compression spring C, the spring bemg Vconfined between' the seat iand the abntnient `32 and surrounding the tie rod 2li. The function of the spring is to resilientli,7 or flexibly support the coupling `head D, andplaee it under pressure When the ears eouple. llorinally. the spring projects the coupling `head a considerable distanee in advance, o't the bracket A., with the flange 22 resting' against the rear face ot the baise A.

The flange is disposed vertically, and that portion thereof which hes above the hearings i 26 isy oiE greater length than that portion thereoit which lies below said bearing, this` in order to equalize the Jforce required to inove the head D downivardlj,Y with that required toinove it upwardly` from the normal uneoupled position. The fork of the `base "doesnot extend in exactly the vertical plane, lait 1s `disposed at an angle thereto, pre-ferable ot about tivof dee-rees, in order to throw the tor-ward end oi? the body member B, and the coupling head D slightly above Lthe horizontal renter line ot `the hearingsA 26 of the lprongsQO, to improve the coupling oper `ation of the heads and eliminate jamming thereof. These bearings are open rboth at thesidesiand theirtforivard tace. They are curved or laredas shown to niatewith the correspondingly shaped tace ot` the ends`34 ot the pivot bar 255 It Will be observed that the plane ot the rear side of `they base as aforesaid.

1T "intersects the transverse renter line of these bearings and interserts also the rontaetinff, faces ot the tie rod Qt and the ivvot har attheiibottom oi the seat lll thru which thepT are pivotally connected.

i In service the spring C acts to extend and place the coupling` head D ander pressuret Then two opposing" ronneeters meet in the aetot coupling' the guides ot theeoupling head D align the con neeters, bringing their inatinp: tarea and parts into proper register. Further cfoupling moveinent oi the ears will shift the tinnen Q2 rearwardly away from the hase li auainst thetension ot the spring;` t. thus releasing the iuiiversaljoint and permitting' the heads to move 'freely in all direetions. and in stantly `aeooirunodating; themselves to `the sharp whipping; motion ot runniiifr ears without setting up an)v forces which tend to niove the 'liaees oit the coupled heads one upon the other and deelrov the joint between them. It occasionallyT happens that the lmislx'et 36 in the i'aee oi" the toupled heads requires replarenienh and in order to aeromplish this Without irstuneouplintr the ears I thread the `rear end of the tie rod Q-lfior a considerable distance as shoivm :ind provide the nut 32 with an elongated shanlt di' threadingly Connectedivith the rear endot the tie rodas shown. `'With thisronstrhe `tion thetension ot the spring may be relieved While the cars `remain `coupled. This is aeeomplished by backingl the nutflQoIl ol the pivot tie rod, whereupon the sp1-intr C ,may be removed, the perforated head Qta oi `the tie rod 24 pushed torvrafrd carrying the `pivot har 25 forwardly out ot itsheariugfei 2(i`a.fter which the body ll may be lowered 4-troni out of the fork ot the basa A. and

threadingly connect the head riith the 't'orward end of the conduit 2l as shown, and provide thelieadivitha port Shin rrhieh is mounted a `rasket 36. the gasket and the port having Communication ivith the ronduit 2l. A section oit' the ordinaryr air hose 39 now universally in `use .on railway ears.

connects the train pipe ot the ear -"vith the ronduit of my improvement, in an)y satir 'factory manner. l have ehown for this-1:

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latter purpose a standard form of fitting 40. i The various parts and members of my improvement are.` of course, so proportioned and arranged that they will properly fit with one another and fully allow the required free universal movement of the coupling head acts upon the pivot bar and maintains it in Contact with the bearings 26 it may be regarded as resilient means for maintaining); the universal joint, comprisingthe tie rod Q4 and the pivot bar 25.015 my improve ment in position, while the base may be described as having the outline of an inverted ts, and hence as being' an open end base.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination ot a coupling head, a base having; oppositely disposed bearings which project rearwardly from the rear side ot 'the base, a universal joint mounted in said bearings for permitting' universal movement to said head, a conduit connected with said coupling' head, means extendingr from said conduit to the rear et saidbase, a projection mounted on the rear end of said means and cooperating with the rearwardly projecting' portion of said bearings to resist undue rotary movement of said couplingr head about its longitudinal axis, and a spring for extending said head.

2. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination of a lug, a coupling' head,` a support for said head, said support comprismer an upper member and a base, the upper member being; secured at its upper end to said lug and having at its lower end a seat on which said base is mounted. and screw means tor adjusting` said base along' said seat longitudinally of said upper member.

In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination ot a lug, a coupling head, a support 'for said head, said support coniprisiun` a member connected at its upper end to said lug and provided at .its lower end with an elongated bearing disposed in the horizontal plane. a base provided with a horizontally disposed projection which ertends into said bearing, a universal joint ried by said base, means on said projection for shift-ingr said base longitudinally ot said seat to vary the position olt said joint relative to said member, and means tor preventing' lateral movement of said base relative to said member.

et. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination ot a coupling' head, a

spring,r for extendingF said head, a lug, and

a support for said coupling head, said support comprising` a member clamped to said lug and having at its lower end an opening, a vertically extending base having a horizontally disposed cylindrical projection eX- Inasamuch as the spring C- tending in the direction of said coupling' head and into said opening', a universal joint on said base.` and means carried by said projection and engaging said member for adjusting; said kprojection in said opento vary the compression of said spring securing the bracket to the lupj, the front same in service position.

6. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination with a car coupler having' a lug, of a connecter, and means for securing the connecter to said lug, said means comprising; bracket connected with said lne', a device mounted on said bracket and eng-aging' the bottom of said lug relative to which lug,r the device is movable, and a n'ieansctcfr detleetinp; one end` ofjsaid device as the device is forcedinto the service position.

7. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination with a car coupler having a lug, of a connecter, and means for securing the connecter to said lug', said means conprising` a bracket connected with said lug; and having` a bearing, a tapered device on said bearing and engaging the lower face of said lug for drawing' downwardly on the connection between said lun' and said bracket.` and means for locking said device in place.

8. In an `autmnatic train pipe connecter, the combination with a car coupler havingr a lug'. ot a couiiiline' head and a support therefor. said support comprising a bracket bolted to said lun and haring' a seat, aV device mounted on said seat and engagingv the luiderside ot said lup; to exert a clamping action upon said bolts, and means on said bracket for deflecting; the course oi said device as the device is driven tothe service position.

9. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination with a car coupler, of a coupling head and a support therefor, said.` support comprising' a bracket connected to said coupler and having' a seat. a wedge on said seat and adapted to be shifted along the same to take up the wear on Jthe connection between said bracket and said coupler, the. trent end ot said wedge being` bent out of a straight line for locking said wedge in the shifted position. Y

10. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination ot aI lug, a coupling head, a support for said head, said support comprising two members, one of said members end ot Asaid device` beine; bent to lock the being Secured al' itsiupperend to `said lug and having an opening in its lower end,

the other of said membelsbeing adjnstably mounted in said opening and closely fitting thesame, means for adjusting said 'last mentioned member in said opening and holding' the same against movement, and means ear- `ried by saidlast mentioned member for supporting said coupling' head.

`l1. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination of a lug, a coupling head, a support 'for said head, said support oomprisinn two members` one of said members being `Secured to Said hip; at its uppei` end and having :itin: lower endfan opening the axis olE whiehextontls parallel to the length of the ear, the other of said membeis having a threadedportionmoimted in means' earriedsolely by saidlast named member* for eupportmgr smid coupling` head.`

" `l2. In an automatic train pipe connecter,

"the combination of a lug, a couplinghead,

a support for said head comprising two aiiembers, one ofsaid members being Secured `ing loree in a vertii'al direetifm to eeeurelv at its upper end `to Said lue` and having at its lower end an opening, the axie ol wlliceh extends parallel tothe length o'l. the ear and `which" is` arranged insa horiz/entailplane `the `named member in saidoiienine and holding;r

the saine against movement relative to Said {i1-etnamedmemben and means carried hy said laet named member forSupporting Said coupling' head.

13. `In an automatie train `pipe connecter, `the combinationolf a coupling-diend,ailing, a snppiart 'for Said head comprie-ing:r` a bracket, the upper end ol which Carries iniilependenl ears,` a luf; between said faire and having a lowerffaee, :i :tenten one ol Said ears, adevirfe interpoeed between the lower 'face oi? said lukei and said seat and Shifizable alone' the seat -t'oiexerting a elarnp lori; Saidv ears to Said lugiand means for detleeinir the eouree of `said device [o prevent accidental dislodgment oil. the device.

'In testimony whereoi I hereby aliix` my si gnature.

Jesuiten `v.l nonmeon. 

